Arguably the greatest third baseman to ever play the game, Robinson's defensive genius will always be synonymous with the black and orange of the Orioles.
Robinson's incredible defensive play was a once-in-a-lifetime talent, and it's becoming more and more evident that he's a dying breed in terms of loyalty and devotion to a single franchise.
He played the entirety of his 23-year career with the Birds and revolutionized the position itself during that time. He won an unheard-of 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, rightfully earning the nickname "The Human Vacuum Cleaner." He posted a .973 career fielding percentage at third base, an incredible number when you consider the difficulty of playing the hot corner at any level, most notably the big leagues.
Robinson may have wielded a slick glove, but he also swung a pretty big bat. He routinely hit 15-20 home runs during his prime, and when those power numbers tapered off some, he was still no easy out.
He spent parts of three decades as a major league third baseman and helped set the standard for how a Hall of Fame third baseman should look for players like Mike Schmidt and Wade Boggs in the 1970s and '80s, and continues today with players like David Wright and Evan Longoria.
What separates Robinson from today's players, however, is the undeniable loyalty that he had to the Orioles during his playing days and continues to exhibit even to this day. He made his debut with the Orioles in September of 1955 and played his entire career there, all the way up until his final game in 1977.
He became the face of the franchise during some of the club's most formidable years. He helped the O's win two World Series titles, one in '66 and another in '70, a year in which his .429 batting average during the Fall Classic earned him MVP honors.
Upon retirement, Robinson was rightfully honored for all of his contributions. His No. 5 jersey was retired. He was honored with a plaque in the old Memorial Stadium. Most recently, he was immortalized with a statue in Baltimore that fittingly depicted Robinson making a play in the field. Robinson even spent his post-playing days as a TV broadcaster for Orioles broadcasts.
Naturally, Robinson also paid a visit to Cooperstown following retirement when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, a first-ballot inductee.
Robinson's greatest impact will always remain in Baltimore, though. He helped shape Baltimore as a good baseball city while also bringing plenty of success and accolades to the Orioles.
"Brooks never had a candy bar named after him," a writer once observed about Robinson. "In Baltimore, people named their children after him."
Robinson would have been one of the best third basemen in the history of the game no matter when he played, but his loyalty and devotion to his city are almost entirely a thing of the past.
